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Strong Aussie group set to buck PGA curse

Ben Everill

A big Australian contingent on the US PGA tour is ready to reverse a curse in southern California this week.

The Pacific Ocean frames the course, the fairways and greens have grass most Aussies find at their local, eucalyptus leaves give off their unmistakable aroma but, despite the similarities to home, Australia's best golfers are yet to tame Torrey Pines.

For 45 years, the now Farmers Insurance Open has been held on the famed ocean-adjacent public course and you can throw in the 2008 US Open for good measure

But while a few Australians have come close, none have won here.

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There were recent near misses, like Nathan Green in 2006, who shot a 69 on the final day to force a playoff with Tiger Woods and Jose Maria Olazabal but fell short.

Or Marc Leishman and Michael Sim in 2010 who had eventual winner Ben Crane in their crosshairs down the stretch but ended up one shot short.

Stuart Appleby led the 2008 US Open through two rounds but shot a 79 on the Saturday to fade into oblivion.

Jason Day was a world junior champion at the venue, Aaron Baddeley a runner-up, but neither has fired since on the layout.

But in 2013, a 14-strong Australian contingent lines up ready to not only break the Torrey curse but also kick-start a resurgent season in the US after a lacklustre 2012.

With just one victory last year on the US Tour, Australians had their worst season since 2002. It marks just the third time in the past 25 years (2002, 1996, 1988) that Australians have won just once in a season.

Chalmers' final-round 63 in the 2002 event remains a South Course record at Torrey Pines (since redevelopment) but wasn't even good enough for a top-10 finish that year.

He has yet to find a top-10 finish from 10 starts.

"It definitely has an Australian feel as a course so I can't put a finger on why we haven't done extremely well in this tournament," he said.

"No doubt the south course is a beast of a golf course but it is windy, the grass is what we grow up with and there are gum trees everywhere so this city reminds me of Australia and New South Wales mainly with the coastline and the trees."

Leishman, the lone winner in 2012 and the hot hand of the 14 at this venue with two top 10s from four starts, isn't sure why the results haven't been positive for Australians other than to point out Tiger Woods has won it six times and Phil Mickelson three.

"I love it here. It's such a comfortable place for me, the most like Australia here in America and I have friends in the area I catch up with so it is really like a home event, to be honest," he said.

"I'm feeling really good, hitting the ball well and the putter worked really well in my last start so there is no reason why it can't be a really good week."